EA Q&A: No Jet Is Untouchable

After a couple days of sun down in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl, we returned for John Idzik’s introductory press conference and “Jets Talk LIVE” appearance on Thursday. If you missed JTL, you can catch archives of my interviews with Idzik, CEO Woody Johnson and head coach Rex Ryan over the weekend.

We will return to our traditional Tuesday and Thursday Q&A format next week. Please get your questions in and let’s not be afraid to start talking draft.

MichaelFairhaven, MAQ: What would the Jets benefit from trading Revis?

ArthurLaguna Beach, CAQ: Help! Someone has to tell the New GM & Woody that unequivocally Darrell Revis is a JET for his entire football career.

EA: Jason LaCanfora reported this week that the Jets “will explore options” to deal Revis and Woody Johnson has “strong reservations” about the ability to give his star cornerback an extension.

During Mr. Johnson’s appearance on "Jets Talk LIVE” Thursday, he told me, “I’m not quite sure where that came from, but we don’t talk about contracts. That’s something I have done in the past and I don’t intend to start that today.”

Then at John Idzik’s introductory news conference, the new GM was also asked about the report.

“I think it’s way premature to say anything specific,” he said. “Again, I haven’t even had the chance to sit down and thoroughly vet through our roster with Rex, his staff (and) with our personnel staff. I think it would be presumptuous to say anything like that.”

In a perfect world, Revis will return healthy in 2013. And he will man his Island like no other and he would retire a Jet. But life and football are complicated. Revis, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 3, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the ’13 season and he will command top dollar. A four-time Pro Bowler, he will turn 28 in July and he has already held out twice.

The Jets have a multitude of needs and Revis is an asset. If he were ever to play for another team, you would want to make sure you got something in return for a great player. As we head into an offseason where both of the Jets starting safeties in 2012 — Pro Bowler LaRon Landry and steady veteran Yeremiah Bell — are scheduled to hit free agency, you wonder just how much the Jets can spend on the defensive backfield. Remember Antonio Cromartie, who is also Pro Bowl bound, is getting paid good coin as well.

The salary cap can limit your options, so you have to make difficult decisions. The Jets are going to do whatever is in their best interests to improve this team.

After two consecutive non-winning seasons and with a new GM in place, I don’t think anybody on the roster is untouchable. A star cornerback is different than a star quarterback.

Joe C.Ocala, FLQ: What is official regarding coaching changes? Who is in and who is out?

EA: Rex Ryan made it official yesterday on JTL, announcing that Dennis Thurman has been promoted to defensive coordinator and former Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will bring the West Coast offense to New York’s AFC representative. Ben Kotwica takes over for the retired Mike Westhoff on special teams and Justus Galac was promoted to head strength & conditioning coach. David Lee is the new Jets QB coach while former Jets QB coach Matt Cavanaugh will tutor Bears gunslinger Jay Cutler in Chicago. Mike Pettine (Buffalo Bills) Bob Sutton (Kansas City Chiefs) and Mike Smith (Texas Tech) will all coordinate defenses in ’13. Tim McDonald, a former 6-time Pro Bowler, is the Jets new secondary coach. Pettine took Jimmy O’Neil and Anthony Weaver with him to coach the Bills linebackers and defensive line respectively. Those were promotions for both men.

David A.Haifa, IsraelQ: With all the turmoil in the coaching department and the front office, has the scouting department stayed intact? Last year, the Jets opted not to draft an NFL ready O-lineman. Is that because the scouting department has determined that this year's draft is unusually deep for OL? Do they have their eyes on a specific prospect?

EA: The scouting department is intact and that means Jeff Bauer is entering his first draft as the Jets’ director of college scouting.GM John Idzik said, “My initial expressions are we have a really strong group here and I look forward to working with them in these days and nights to come.”

No, next year does not enter into the equation. The Jets are in decent shape at T and C, and I don't know if there was a G rated high enough for them to take last year where they were selecting. The club wanted to see Vladimir Ducasse improve as well and he could be a starter next fall. The Jets had Quinton Coples rated higher than Stanford G David Decastro and nobody should really question the Coples selection.

AnthonyMilford, CTQ: With Mark Sanchez struggling to be a great QB and with the options available in the draft, who — if anyone — do you see the Jets taking? Do you see them getting Landry Jones?

RogerJersey City, New JerseyQ: Why not give Sanchez one more chance? I think Marty’s West Coast offense will fit his style with some better receivers.

EA: Sanchez may get another chance, but Idzik wants competition at all positions. Even if he is here once training camp commences, I can’t imagine a scenario where he wouldn’t have to fight for the position.

Here are some things to keep in mind with the West Coast offense. You have to learn the new verbiage, the quarterback has to be able to read coverage and be able to anticipate route adjustments from receivers. And don’t confuse West Coast with short passes all the time because the Eagles threw the ball down the field a bunch. All the Jets RBs better be ready to catch the rock because Mornhinweg will use them often.

Next week, I will talk about some of the QBs I saw practice in Mobile, Alabama. I will say that N.C. State’s Mike Glennon and Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson intrigue me. In addition to the prospects who will line up in the Senior Bowl on Saturday, we will have to see how Geno Smith and Matt Barkley perform in the weeks and months ahead.

John Rockville Centre, NYQ: How would you rate the Jets’ draft picks in 2012?

EA: The rule of thumb is you should give it three years beforeyou grade a draft. Defensive end Quinton Coples, who led the team with 5.5 sacks and should pair up with Muhammad Wilkerson for years to come, was an excellent selection at No. 16 overall. Both WR Stephen Hill (D2, No. 43 Overall) and LB Demario Davis (D3, No. 77 Overall) will be counted on more in year two. Hill has to get more polished in his technique and route running, but his raw skills are undeniable. Is Davis, who was good on special teams and saw his defensive snaps increase late in the season, ready to step up in to a starting position? Although the trade for Tebow appeared to bring outstanding value at the time, yielding a fourth-round pick doesn’t look great in retrospect. Josh Bush (D6, No. 187 Overall) and Antonio Allen (D7, No. 242 Overall) have interesting upsides and they could be counted on more in 2013. Baylor RB Terrance Ganaway (D6, No. 202 Overall) was a solid pick, but the Jets got burned by attempting to keep him on the practice squad. Don’t count out WR Jordan White (D7, No. 244 Overall) just yet — I still think he has steal potential.